All cameras with a built-in flash, regardless of brand or model, produce some degree of what is called red-eye, because the light from the flash reflects off blood vessels in the retina of people's eyes. Fair, blue-eyed people and young children are particularly prone to showing red-eye in photographs, but the closer any person is to the lens, and the more powerful the flash, the more red-eye becomes apparent. Moving the flash off to the side of the lens by at least three inches would effectively reduce red-eye, but the small, light-weight cameras in demand today simply aren't big enough to provide for that much separation between lens and flash.

The four flash modes help you take good pictures in all kinds of circumstances. Here's how:

Auto: In this mode, the camera decides for you when to fire the flash so you get the light you need for a good picture without having to think about it.

Auto-S Red-Eye Reduction: This mode automatically moderates the flash to help reduce the blazing orange eyeballs of extreme red-eye into small red dots.

Fill-In: This ensures proper exposure when there is a bright background light, such as a sun lamp or a window, behind the subject you want to photograph.

Night Scene: With this mode, you get the right exposure to capture the lights of background buildings and skylines and so forth, at the same time you're capturing the image of something, or someone, in the foreground. The auto flash, in this case, would overexpose the person and underexpose the background.

The faster or higher the film speed number (ISO 400, 800, 1000, 1600 etc.), the less light is needed to make a photograph. Use high-speed films for shooting sports and night scenes or for taking indoor photographs without a flash. Slow- or lower-numbered film speeds (ISO 100, 64, 50, 25) need much more light for effective results, but provide brighter colors and greater sharpness. Use the slow films for bright, natural landscapes and well-lighted portraits.

Yes. Storing your film in the refrigerator will slow down the film's aging process, and this is important because as film ages it loses its accuracy for colors. But don't put it in the freezer; that can damage the film.

Sand, moisture, and heat all pose grave hazards to both your camera and your film. If you must change your film or batteries at the beach, do it in a sheltered area such as a rest room or your car. At the very least, turn your back to the sun, wind, and spray.

If you don't plan to use your camera for four to six months, unload the film you have in the camera and then remove the batteries. And, because film loses its accuracy as it ages, get your film processed quickly. Never remove the batteries when your camera is still loaded with film; this will skew the film counter or the quartz date memory.

Usually, you'll get the best results if you keep the sun at a 45-degree angle to your subject. Sometimes, you can get good pictures photographing with the sun directly at your back. Avoid shooting directly into the sun.